The Big Gold Belt, an example of a championship belt in professional wrestling.

Professional wrestling is a form of entertainment which combines athletics and theatrical performance in a mimicry of combat sports. Many storylines center around the promotion's championships, which are represented by championship belts similar to those in boxing. The top title in a major promotion is usually designated a World heavyweight championship Other, lesser championships may carry regional names, be limited to a specific weight class, or be defended in other special circumstances, such as the traditional tag team match.

The WWE is the largest promotion in pro wrestling. As a result of the company's history if acquisitions, WWE boasts two top titles, each assigned to one of the company's "brands". As of September 2011, the WWE Championship is designated to the Raw brand, while the World Heavyweight Championship is designated to the SmackDown brand.

Typically, pro wrestling title belts have a unique design for each title, in contrast with boxing where the title belts of a given sanctioning body are all the same design. The most notable exception is Japan's Pro Wrestling Noah, whose belts follow one specific design.

Tom Morris, Jr. wearing the Championship Belt.

Historically, the championship belt was also awarded to the winner of professional golf tournaments. Rodeo tournaments also award special belts, among other prizes.

More recently, starting with Aaron Rodgers, the "title belt" gesture has begun the leap to the major professional sports. Originally used by Rodgers during his time on the Green Bay Packers practice squad as a way to keep his teammates loose, it became known more as the Packers 2010 season progressed, eventually culminating with a victory. On the podium to receive the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Rodgers was presented with a replica Big Gold Belt by teammates, and in the following weeks, during a scheduled WWE Raw telecast, the Packers were honored with title belts from the WWE itself. In September 2011, after the Milwaukee Brewers clinched the National League Central title, Kameron Loe was seen sporting a replica WWE Championship "spinner" belt.

7 World Famous Sporting Trophies …

The Superbowl Trophy

The Superbowl Trophy is awarded to the winners of the National Football League championship game. Known as the Vince Lombardi Trophy, each year a new one is made exclusively by top craftsmen at Tiffany. It is quite unusual in the world of trophies, as most major awards are so steeped in history because they are the original one.

The Vince Lombardi Trophy stands 22 inches (56 cm) tall, weighs 7 pounds (3.2 kg) and depicts a regulation-size football in kicking position on a stand with three concave sides. It is made entirely of sterling silver and takes approximately four months and 72 man-hours to create.

The words "Vince Lombardi Trophy" along with the roman numerals of that year's Super Bowl are engraved on and the NFL shield is affixed onto the base. After the trophy is awarded, it is sent back to Tiffany's to be engraved with the names of the participating teams, the date, location, and the game's final score.^[4] It is then sent back to the winning team for them to keep.

The Ryder Cup

Every two years, the USA plays Europe at golf for the Ryder Cup. The competition is held alternating between courses in the United States and Europe. The trophy is named after the man who donated it, Samuel Ryder, and is unique in golf and probably most other professional sports because it is competed for without any prize money on offer.

The World Cup

Probably the only trophy that doesn’t need qualification of the sport involved. Even though there are plenty of world cups for other sports, the term World Cup on its own is totally synonymous with football (soccer). It is one of the most world famous sporting trophies.

The Wimbledon Trophies

For a world famous tennis championship, you need a world champion trophy. The winners of the annual Wimbledon tournament, as well as earning pay checks of £1 million ($1.62m), they get a replica of these beautiful trophies. The originals are engraved with the winner’s names but are never removed from their home at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in South West London.

5. The Ashes Urn

If you don’t know anything about cricket, and undoubtedly not many do, you might like this fact about one of the world’s most famous trophies surprising. The Test Series between Australia and England takes place every 2 years in alternating countries. The winner of the series of 5 games gets to keep the Ashes Urn. The trophy is named after a quote in the Sporting Times in 1882, when Australia had beaten England for the first time on English soil. English cricket had died, and the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. The next series was seen to be the quest to regain the ashes. During that tour, an urn containing the ashes of a cricket bail was presented to the then England captain and it became the symbol for future series’. Here’s the surprise – this hotly contested trophy is but 6 inches tall.

The Americas Cup

This is the oldest of all world famous sporting trophies. It has been competed for since 1851 and is awarded to the winner of a race between two yachts. There are plenty of trial rounds beforehand to decide the final competitors. Only 3 countries, Australia, Switzerland and New Zealand, have won the trophy other than the USA.

The Stanley Cup

You need an award for just being able to lift this world famous trophy, as it is 35¼” high and weighs 34½lb. The National Hockey League presents the cup to the winners of the play off of the annual Stanley Cup Finals.